How do you write a campaign speech?

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To write an effective campaign speech, determine a spirited rationale for running that can be conveyed in 20 seconds or less, focus on the way the speech sounds more than the way it appears, get to the point quickly, use humor, and tailor the speech to your audience. Gain an audience's attention by telling an anecdote with real-world implications, and preface the crux of the speech by identifying the key points you want people to walk away remembering.

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Prior to drafting the speech, meet with advisors and consultants to determine a central message that can be conveyed in one sentence. This needs to be the main point that audience members walk away knowing even if all else is forgotten. Similarly, develop a one-line, snappy sound bite that underscores the central message.

Select words that are appealing on an auditory level, and convey them as you would speak. Encapsulate the ordinary intonations, cadences and rhythms of conversation. Keep sentences short and points clear. Avoid perfect grammar, sentence construction and verb tense that may sound stilted when spoken aloud. The hope is to make people forget they are listening to a prepared speech.

Make sure that the opening part of the speech captures attention by immediately building rapport with the audience. In the introductory acknowledgements, recognize the people who are in front of the audience, and follow with a few jokes, preferably related to the location. If a joke is either inappropriate or not in line with the speaker's personality, convey a very personal story to achieve the same goal.